Letter to Premier from Bishop Andrew

Responding to 2019 Ontario Budget

Letter to Premier from Bishop Andrew on behalf of the Diocese and Social Justice Advocacy

The 2019 Ontario budgetwas released 11 April 2019. While there was some good news around funding for affordable housing and partnerships with non-profit and cooperative housing providers, much of the budget includes cuts to key programmes which will directly affect some of the most vulnerable people in our province. Bishop Andrew's letter to the Premier points out that one of the cuts is a 30% cut to the budget of Legal Aid Ontario in the present year, which will have an immediate impact on the work of community legal centres. These centres support and assist low-income Ontarians with understanding their rights, access to benefits, and representation in administrative, landlord-tenant, worker’s compensation, victim compensation, and other cases.